1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to protective doorknob devices. More particularly, the invention is directed to a doorknob encasement device mounted to a door jamb which protects the doorknob from forceable removal.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
In order to prevent intruders and burglars from unauthorized entry through a locked door where the lock is mounted in the doorknob of the door, previous patents have described protective devices mounted directly over the doorknob or attached directly to the door and resting on or over the doorknob. U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,972 illustrates a door handle cover with no means of attachment directly to the door. The utility of the device depends on the use of a key for its removal in order to give access to the doorknob. Although such a device may make the house or building secure from all those having a key to the doorknob, the door handle remains free-standing and thus subject to unauthorized and forceful entry by removal of the doorknob with its protective door handle cover. The single unit door handle cover would also fail to protect from entry by means of an instrument inserted between the space defined by the unprotected door jamb and door and adjacent to the doorknob. Other protective door handle covers such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,002 function in similar manner, but have different means to release the door handle cover to gain access to the doorknob itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,318 teaches a device which acts as a burglar-proof lock protector. It consists of two separate and unattached parts which cover and protect a deadbolt lock from forced entry. However, this invention is permanently fixed in place and is not suitable for protection of a doorknob where removal is required to provide access for turning the handle.